11

Goodwill Industries, Inc.Serving Eastern Nebraska

& Southwest IowaGoodwillOmaha.org

January2012

Goodwill’s First 40 Under 40 Winner

Learn more about Shannon McGree, one of the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2011!

page 4

25 Years of Frank McGree

Our President and CEO celebrated 25 years with our agency in December, and it’s been a fruitful journey.

page 8

011 was no 2010. That’s what I said to myself when I sat down to write this article.

It’s hard to compete with a year in which your headquarters relocates and you open up a giant Retail Operations Center (ROC) with two storefronts. Those are once-a-century moments, and this agency had both in the same year. 2010 will go down in Goodwill history the way 1776 is a part of the national consciousness.

So welcome to 1777.Similar to the way 1777 was

spent defending the independence declared in 1776, this is the year we had to live up to the promise

2

a year of the nitty-gritty

by Brent Koster

continued on page 6

The long aisles and tall shelves of storage at the ROC enabled great 2011 accomplishments like opening new stores and hitting the $1 million mark in salvage, a feat never before accomplished at our Goodwill.

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new employeesNovember 2011

Jennifer AddisonCSA II 78th & Dodge

Michael Alexander, Jr.Donated Goods Proc. II180th & Q

Andra BenderDG Sorter/Hanger I78th & Dodge

Devon BillupsCSA II78th & Dodge

Elizabeth BoltonCSA II78th & Dodge

Isaiah Brathwaite III CustodianLincoln Joseph Carver, II CustodianStratcom

William Casey Jr Driver-CDL ROC

Julie Cernin Human Resources ManagerBenson Park Plaza

Michael Cocco CSA IISouthwest Markie Crouse CSA II 156th & Maple

Enero Dominguez DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Jess Engelkemier CustodianOffutt

Sandra Ferrucci READY Specialist Benson Park Plaza

Janice Flowers DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Bobbi Frieze DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Joshua Garrett DG/Sorter-Hanger II 156th & Maple

Rose Gilbert Prince DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Brittini Good CustodianOffutt

Patrick Harbison Donated Goods Proc. I78th & Dodge

Andrea Harter DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

James Hooper DG/Sorter-Hanger II 180th & Q

Kirk Judds Custodian Lincoln

Victoria Kinzey DG Sorter/Hanger I Papillion

John Klauschie Donated Goods Proc. I78th & Dodge

Schieler Koch CSA II Papillion

Stojan Kresovic CSA II 78th & Dodge

Rosita Lara CSA II 78th & Dodge

Katherine MacDonald DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Benny Marks, IV Custodian Offutt

Lindsey McCloud Reserve Rep I Reserve

Jaymie McGee Custodian Offutt

Donald McPherson Commerc Srvcs Supervisor ROC

Merid Mengesha Custodian Offutt Marlene Mosher DG/Sorter-Hanger II 156th & Maple

Kamyra Ndango CSA II 78th & Dodge

Bi Nguyen Reserve Rep I Reserve Thomas Nunn CSA II 78th & Dodge

Kathleen Parr DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Tressa Prince DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Nicole Raymer Reserve Rep I Reserve Brenda Rayyan CSA II78th & Dodge

Kentrell Reed CSA II78th & Dodge

Marquisia RobinsonCSA IIHarris Center

Yolanda Robinson One Stop Navigator Blue Lion Nakisha Saxton CSA II78th & Dodge

Nicole Schellerer CSA II78th & Dodge

Shayne Scherer CSA II 180th & Q

Anna Schmidt DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Christie Schoening DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Shakayla Scott DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Jodeci Smith DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Chelsea Snider DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge

Gregory Spain Donated Goods Proc. I78th & Dodge

Paul Staley, III CSA IIBellevue

Drew Stoller Donated Goods Proc. ISouthwest Jonathan Stolzenburg Donated Goods Proc. ISouthwest Jenna Teachman CSA II 78th & Dodge

Kenjetta Thomas CSA II 78th & Dodge

Rheanna Tingle CSA II 78th & Dodge

Marco Valle Wearhouse Associate ROC

Tanner Veik Donated Goods Proc. IBellevue

Starlene Wakole DG/Sorter-Hanger II 156th & Maple Tyrone Washington Donated Goods Proc. I78th & Dodge

The Clothes Line PUBLISHER: Frank McGreeEDITOR IN CHIEF: Rita Hamele CrumMANAGING EDITOR: Brent KosterSTAFF WRITER: Neal Obermeyerstaff writer: Erin BurkeOMBUDSPERSON: Kris PachunkaFAN CLUB PRESIDENT: Tim Suelter

The Clothes Line is published monthly and is available at each Town Hall meeting. If you are unable to attend Town Hall, you may also find copies in the Marketing area at BPP, or request to have a copy delivered to you by calling 402.231.1915.

You may also find Clothes Line articles and full-issue digital downloads on the GoodTimes Blog at http://www.goodwillomaha.org/blog.

january 2012

1 Heather Carrico Cust Connect Case Manager Benson Park Plaza1 Elizabeth Johnson Custodian Zorinsky1 Norman Barnes GoodGuides Mentor Coach Benson Park Plaza2 Lindsey Stansbury CSA II 156th & Maple3 Kristal Kuehn CSA III Papillion3 Stephanie Wheeler Retail Store Manager 180th & Q3 Zakia Ayubi DG Sorter/Hanger I Southwest3 Audrey Elmore YouthBuild GED Instructor Benson Park Plaza4 Daniel Williams Cust Connect Case Mgr/Ins Benson Park Plaza5 Vicki Kellogg Assistant Store Manager Madison5 Michael Browning Driver-CDL ROC6 Yasmine Medina CSA II 180th & Q7 Toni Williams Retail Ops. Center-Supv. ROC7 Kent Meisinger Custodian Offutt7 Kim McConahay Assistant Store Manager 78th & Dodge7 Cameron Spencer Donated Goods Proc. I Papillion8 Kent Caniglia Loss Prevention Director Benson Park Plaza9 Shirley Hall Retail Operations Dir. ROC9 Jennifer Davern HR Specialist Benson Park Plaza10 Kimmea Shannon Adult Career Specialist Blue Lion10 Leticia Delgado Garcia DG Sorter/Hanger I Southwest11 Danielle Prudhome CSA II Madison 12 Corey Wright Operations Associate ROC13 Lynn Johnson-Romero Work Experience Trainer ROC13 Nicole Raymer Reserve Rep I Reserve14 Shari Knutsen PWI QA Specialist Benson Park Plaza14 Gina Denetelli CSA II Harris Center14 Bradley Slipsager Custodian Stratcom14 Gabriela Uribe DG/Sorter-Hanger II Benson Park Store15 Ivan Johnson Donated Goods Proc. I Harris Center16 Sally Ledtje Donated Goods Proc. III Southwest16 James Walsh General Postal Clerk II Postal16 Ronald Marion Operations Associate ROC16 James Hooper DG/Sorter-Hanger II 180th & Q17 Chad Petsche Custodian Stratcom17 Christine Puyear Custodian Stratcom17 Sonnie Olson Donated Goods Proc. II Bellevue17 Phillip Johnson Asst. Postal Supevisor Postal17 Ieasha Rose CSA II Harris Center17 Katherine MacDonald DG Sorter/Hanger I 78th & Dodge18 Thomas Bessey Lead Custodian Benson Park Plaza18 Candace Gay Team Leader-Productions 156th & Maple19 Michael Howard Bus Sanitation Technician ROC19 Regina Bell Adult Business Outreach Spec Blue Lion20 Elizabeth Gordon DG Sorter/Hanger I Benson Park Store22 Tara Holmes CSA I Benson Park Store22 Osama Hazim Donated Goods Proc. II 156th & Maple23 Adam Whittington Donated Goods Proc. I Madison23 Priscilla Acosta-Landa CSA III Bellevue25 Eileen Hansen Donated Goods Proc. II Fremont25 Antonio Pano Custodian Lincoln25 Scott Buchele Donated Goods Proc. II 180th & Q26 Loutissia Yarbrough Asst. Custodial Supv. Zorinsky26 Michael Anderson Youth Career Specialist Blue Lion26 LaVona Morrison Reserve Rep I Reserve28 Natalie Sieben CSA III Southwest29 James Gibbons General Postal Clerk II Postal 229 Steven Bancerowski Custodian Offutt29 Lisa Sherrod Recycling Technician ROC30 Sherry Latta-Calderon Retail Store Manager Papillion31 Sandra Miedl Custodial Supervisor Zorinsky31 John Klauschie Donated Goods Proc. I 78th & Dodge31 Thomas Nunn CSA II 78th & Dodge

happy birthdayJanuary 2012

4 5

early 500 people gathered at the Embassy Suites La Vista Conference

Center earlier this month for the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards. And one of those 500 was Retail Sales Director Shannon McGree, the first Goodwill employee to receive the honor in the 10-year history of the awards.

Shannon has been a key player in the growth of Goodwill’s retail sales division. As district manager for all 14 Goodwill locations, she has been directly responsible for the increase in sales and profitability.

Shannon began to emerge as a store manager, when her store at 180th and Q was named Goodwill’s Store of the Year in 2008. She was named Manager

of the Year in the same year. Under her management, 180th and Q set a record for the fastest store to reach a million dollars in revenue.

Growth like this feeds Goodwill’s mission and helps the agency lessen its need for government support in the delivery of our employment and training services.

This organization has watched Shannon’s development since she came to the organization in 2003 at the Lincoln Goodwill. She started in Omaha as an assistant store manager in 2006 and quickly rose through the ranks – first to store manager, then district manager and now Goodwill’s Retail Sales Director.

In her new position, Shannon

oversees operations of all of Goodwill’s retail stores, with two district managers, 14 store managers and nearly 200 retail employees under her supervision.

Shannon has been instrumental in such projects as Goodwill’s Sizing Campaign in 2006, the relocation of Goodwill’s headquarters in 2010, several stores openings and renovations, the introduction of the Goodwill Card, and the opening of Reserve - Goodwill’s new boutique-style store in the Old Market.

Her responsibilities and oversight will continue to grow as Goodwill expands to 16 stores in early 2012.

So we’re honored to have one of our own recognized as one of the elite business leaders in our city, and we’re grateful to have her among our ranks.

Congratulations, Shannon, and thanks for all you do!

Nhat started as just a summer gig working for the Summer Youth

Program turned into something a little bit different. Now over two years later, Neal Obermeyer can still be found working for Employment & Training. He also works for Retail, and for Federal Contracts. And he likes it that way.

As Marketing Design Coordinator, Neal appreciates that his work is always changing. One day he is designing a billboard promoting donations, and the next day he may be drawing a cartoon representation of our balanced scorecard. Or, in reality, he’s probably working on these things in more all at the same time. Have you seen his work area? Projects everywhere!

Neal’s multitasking ability is just part of why he is our November Employee of the Month. No matter how much Neal has on his plate, what is thrown at him last minute, or changed with short notice, he still approaches each project as if it

is the most important thing he has to do. Recent projects have included designing new banners for all the retail stores, work on branding the Career Service Center, and designing snazzy Christmas cards to thank all of our Goodwill supporters this year.

Neal takes the Mission of Goodwill very seriously. He is thankful that his work supports the work the people on the front lines do. He looks at the work Employment & Training is doing, and how hard the stores work,

and takes that as inspiration to provide great service to make the work of those people more efficient and effective.

If you’ve ever met Neal Obermeyer, you know he likes burgers. You probably know that his favorite lunch spot is McDonald’s. Join Neal for lunch, and you may learn more about his cartooning, fondness for British pop music, or his adorable dog Dinky. Congratulations, Neal! Now celebrate with a Big Mac.

employee of the monthby Erin Burke

W

november 2011* Skyler Blanchard ** Sandra Ferrucci ** Brittany Frieze *

To nominate a Goodwill employee for aStar Award contact Human Resources!

Erin Burke (left) hands Neal Obermeyer (right) his Employee of the Month award.

shannon mcgree wins 40 under 40by Brent Koster

Shannon McGree (center), with Amanda Olmscheid (left) and Kevin McGree (right) at the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards Breakfast.

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looking back on 2011by Brent Koster

of 2010. New buildings meant giant horizons for both Retail and Employment and Training – and both responded.

Retail made the most of the ROC in 2011. The WearHouse and E-Commerce have passed the Store of the Month award back and forth all year. Through November, the trophy has yet to leave the ROC. Also, for the first time ever, salvage revenue topped a million dollars – a feat only possible thanks to the new larger ROC.

The rest of the stores benefitted from the ROC as well. Bellevue reached a million dollars in sales for the first time, and joined nine other stores to reach that benchmark of excellence. The ROC also allowed for Goodwill to open new locations in the Old Market and at 78th and Dodge.

Reserve – Goodwill in the Market contains a great deal of specialty items that required an extensive staging area at the ROC – no problem for a 90,000 square foot facility. The 78th and Dodge location has a roomy sales floor, but a tiny back room. The ROC’s size and functionality makes that store viable.

Commercial Services also grew in the ROC. Outsource solutions branched out, selling candles and roses. The grounds maintenance and pressure washing teams also enjoyed a great year.

For Employment and Training, it was a year of hard work and success. YouthBuild, housed in

Benson Park Plaza (BPP), helped 23 young people get their GEDs. That program had a brief hiatus in late summer, but they are back in action today. A brand new class is sawing and hammering in the back of BPP.

Goodwill’s customer service training program, Customer Connect, celebrated the completion of six cohorts in 2011. That’s six full classes of trainees, ready to work in the customer service field for employers such as Mutual of Omaha, and Blue Cross / Blue Shield.

But amazing things happened outside of BPP and the ROC as well. For one, Goodwill became the operator of both the Heartland Workforce Solutions Career Center on 24th and Lake and the Adult and Dislocated Worker Program inside the center.

Goodwill already operates the Partnership for Youth Development in that same building, meaning the Career Center is also somewhat of a Goodwill Center. Managing this location has proven very challenging, but the reward is that many hundred people are served each week at that location.

Of course there are the long-running areas that were successful before the move, and

will be successful afterwards. Work Experience worked with more students than any year previous. And our employees ing through AbilityOne contracts continued to keep their government properties trim, clean, and full of mail.

Goodwill also hosted a conference of area Goodwill’s in May of 2011. Our guests marveled at the beauty of BPP. Many community guests have reacted in that same way, when using our Durham Community Room. The Durham Room hosted conferences, trainings, job fairs, meetings, parties, Toastmaster events, Town Halls, and even a celebration for Frank McGree’s 25th anniversary with Goodwill.

So 2011 wasn’t just the year after 2010. It was the year this organization began growing into the vision that made last year possible. It was the year we took our first steps in the quest to make that vision a reality.

continued from page 1 wenty-five years ago this month, a charismatic, good-looking man from

more than a thousand miles away from Nebraska walked into his office. Sweat dripped off his brow as he slumped into his desk chair, pastel-colored shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest, contemplating what was going to come next in this life-changing moment.

To make a long story short, Detective Sonny Crockett found the evidence he needed and was able to keep his friend Hackman from being wrongfully executed, as season three of Miami Vice continued on without a hitch.

Also that month, Frank McGree arrived in Omaha from Pasco, Washington, where he had been president of Goodwill Industries of the Columbia, Inc. for the previous six years.

The Omaha Goodwill Board appointed Frank McGree president that fateful December in 1986, and he has been with us ever since, celebrating 25 years with the agency this month.

Friends, colleagues and board members attended an honorary reception on December 2nd to recognize his years with the

agency.Executive Vice

President for Marketing and Development Andy Bradley entertained the audience with a humorous look back on Frank’s time here, complemented by Senior Vice President Mick Connolly’s more reflective, sentimental speech.

During Frank’s time at Goodwill, the agency has expanded from three stores to fourteen. Goodwill Omaha was struggling to keep its doors open before Frank’s arrival, yet 2011 revenues will exceed $26 million by year’s end.

“Frank’s tenure at Goodwill has provided a consistent leadership that has allowed the organization to take advantage of many growth opportunities,” said Linda Kizzier, Vice President for Employment and Training.

Outside of our agency, Frank has served on Goodwill Industries International’s conference of executives and board of directors. He won GII’s Kenneth K. King Outstanding Management Award

in 1993, which is Goodwill’s highest honor for executive excellence.

In addition to Frank’s Goodwill service, he has also served as president of the Suburban Rotary and the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.

Frank and his wife, Kendra, live in Omaha. They have three children. His dog, Ranger, recently celebrated his 10th birthday.

Even with 25 years under his belt, Frank insists he’s not going anywhere. He recently vowed to the marketing department that he’ll be around another 40 years.

Congratulations, Frank, and thanks for a great 25 years!

25 Years of frank mcgreeby Neal Obermeyer

T

Frank McGree (right) listens as colleagues share remarks on his 25 years with the agency.

november Store of the Month:

E-Commerce!Congrats to Ann and her incredible staff for being 36.47% over budget and holding

their own at 37.47% over last year’s sales!

The Workforce Solutions Center at 24th & Lake houses several Goodwill-operated employment programs.

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now open at 78th & Dodge!by Neal Obermeyer

oodwill’s 14th retail store is now open!

After months of preparation on the part of retail managers and staff, the 78th & Dodge store opened at 9 a.m. on Black Friday, November 25th.

Goodwill staff, board members, partners and friends gathered on the morning of December 2nd to kick off the Grand Opening Weekend with the ceremonial ribbon cutting.

President and CEO Frank McGree opened the day with remarks on the background of the store and overall growth of the agency. When it was time to cut the ribbon, new 78th and Dodge Store Manager Mary Cox did the honors.

And then the celebration began! Shoppers enjoyed popcorn, hot dogs, soft drinks and raffles throughout the weekend.

“78th and Dodge has already been embraced by our large customer base,” said Retail Sales Director Shannon McGree.

“During our second day of Grand Opening weekend there was a snow storm, but that didn’t stop our shoppers. By the end of the day Saturday, 78th and Dodge was in first place for sales making over $5,200 – pretty good results for bad weather,” she said.

“Mary and her assistant manager Kim have welcomed their new staff with tons of positivity and motivation increasing their loyalty to Goodwill and their store.”

G

1. The banner was up and shoppers responded.2. Customers were already scouring the shelves shortly after the doors

opened for the first time at 9 a.m. on Black Friday.3. Goodwill Omaha President and CEO Frank McGree opens the ribbon

cutting ceremonies with remarks.4. 78th & Dodge Store Manager Mary Cox cuts the ribbon as friends,

partners, colleagues and board members look on.5. Shoppers packed the store throughout grand opening weekend.

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2

3

4

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don't forget!february 4, 2012

is the

Annual Dinner!

Remember to save the date for this year’s annual dinner awards banquet, featuring

Employee of the Year! Manager of the Year! Store

of the Year! Achievers of the Year!

This year’s event will be hosted at the beautiful Double

Tree in downtown Omaha!

10 11

s you all know, Goodwill has a Crisis Management Team that is ready to

respond on any type of Crisis that might occur within our Goodwill organization.

Last week, I received a call around 4:30 p.m. from Papillion Assistant Store Manager Jackie Nord. Jackie explained to me that a customer came in from the parking lot and said there was a gentleman pointing a handgun at another gentleman in Goodwill’s parking lot.

Jackie then called 911 and locked all doors to the retail store. Papillion Police arrived within minutes to secure the scene.

After talking with Sargent Young of the Papillion Police Department, he said this all started as road rage off I-80 and Giles that ended up in Goodwill’s parking lot.

One gentleman got out of his car with brass knuckles, went over to the other vehicle, and swung at the driver. The other driver reached under his seat, pulled out a handgun, and pointed it straight at the gentleman.

No one was hurt or shot, but you can see where this might have gone.

I would like to congratulate Assistant Store Manager Jackie

Nord and her staff that were working when all this happened. With never having to deal with this type of situation, Jackie and staff did exactly what they were supposed to do, as well as the Crisis Team and Papillion Police Department.

Thanks for a job well done!

safety for everybody in papillionby Kent Caniglia

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NAME:_______________________________ DATE:_____________

H O P C A T M M S O J S J J P LT A D N O F D P S T X K D V T RG T A B E O C L B X T H T S W EW K H L N H L E B I A S T S I BK L C A A B C S Y T Z A O S K MI Q L M M H M S Q G C Q I X B AX D Q P T O L N T E T W L Z S PP I R K F D O E Y E O H L Z Z CQ Z P I P Z V R T O P L E H D TB G R N S A E H D S U H U V A UG M O S W S T S J H I R P H S DO P T P P F G R E L L R C Q D ZQ D C R C B U B I E K E H M R CD M I D T Z R T Y C P Z L C Y JZ V V K U K W P Z P K U W A W KI G V D E C U B R Y Z G S W D N

STACEYELLIOTTVICTORHULLCHRISTELHURLEYAMBERPECHACHADPETSCHEDONALDWOODSDALEPLESSNERPATRICKLAMPKINS

Perfect Attendance Word Search!These folks all celebrated years of perfect attendance this month!It may be a challenge to find their names in this puzzle, but you can always find them hard at work!

happy anniversaryJanuary 2012

21 YearsDavid LongoCustodianLincoln

15 YearsSusan PaulCSA IIIHarris Center

11 YearsAna OrellanaDG/Sorter-Hanger II Southwest

10 YearsTammy WarrenCSA IIIFremont

9 YearsJustin McDowellCustodianOffutt

8 YearsAdam PusemanCustodianStratcom

Karen WintersTeam Leader-Productions Madison

7 YearsTroy MemmingCustodianLincoln

Terrye TullosCustodianStratcom

James WalshGeneral Postal Clerk II Postal

6 YearsBenjamin AdamsAssistant Store Manager180th & Q

Rudy HarrisDonated Goods Proc. III Papillion

Stephanie WheelerRetail Store Manager180th & Q

5 YearsLucy DiazDG Sorter-Hanger III Harris Center

4 YearsVictoria GarciaDG Sorter/Hanger IBellevue

3 YearsZakia AyubiDG Sorter/Hanger ISouthwest

Jerome BehrensCustodianOffutt

Angelo MasseyLead Bus Sanitation TechROC

2 YearsLinda BibeaultPayroll SpecialistBenson Park Plaza

Theresa SnodgrassCustodianOffutt

1 YearFredrick MorrisAsst. Floor Care Sup. Offutt

Toria OwsleyAbiltyOne Program Spec Benson Park Plaza

12 13Hanging employment barriers out to dry. 10

Hanging employment barriers out to dry. 14

January 2009 Multicultural CalendarJanuary 1 – Emancipation Proclamation (1863): United States On this date Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in territories of the Confederacy.Independence Day: Haiti This day commemorates gaining independence from France in 1804 as a result of the only successful slave revolt in history. New Year’s Day: International New Year’s Day is the only secular holiday that the entire world ob-serves regardless of race or religious beliefs. It is based on the solar calendar established by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 and adopted by most countries. However, many Eastern Orthodox churches follow the Orthodox Old Calendar, or Julian calendar, in which the New Year begins on January 14. Some cultural groups, including Jews, Chinese, Hindus, and Muslims, use a lunar calendar or some combination of a lunar and solar calendar. The date of the Chinese New Year may fall on any date between January 21 and February 19. For 2010, the Chinese New Year occurs on February 14 and the first day of the Jewish New Year begins on the first day of the month of Tishri, or sundown on Sep-tember 8. Different cultures also count years from different starting points. For example, January 1 is year 2010 according to the Gregorian calendar, but falls in 5770 according to the Jewish calendar and in year 1431 according to the Islamic calendar. January 2 – Berchtold’s Day Switzerland This day honors Duke Berchtold V, who founded Bern, the capital of Switzerland, in the twelfth century. According to legend, the Duke left on a hunting trip de-claring that he would name the city for the first animal he killed, which was a bear, or Bär in German. The city was named Bärn, which later became Bern. January 9 – Martyrs’ Day: Panama This marks the January 9, 1964 riots over sovereignty of the Pana-ma Canal Zone. After three days of fighting, about 22 Panamanians and four U.S. citizens were killed. The incident is considered to be a significant factor in the U.S. decision to transfer control of the Ca-nal Zone to Panama through the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties. January 11 – Coming of Age Day (Seijin No Hi): Japan This public holiday commemorates the com-ing of age of everyone who turned 20 in the past year. Those who reached age 20 in the past year gather at public halls for commemorative ceremonies. Eugenio Maria de Hostos’ Birthday: Puerto Rico This public holiday commemorates the birth of Eugenio Maria de Hostos (1839-1903), patriot, distinguished scholar, and writer of works ranging from treatises on law to children’s stories. Eugenio Maria de Hostos spent most of his life in exile, working as a university teacher and leading educational reform efforts in the Dominican Republic and Chile. He traveled widely to promote cooperation among Latin American countries and advocate freedom for Puerto Rico and Cuba. Independence Manifesto Day: Morocco This day celebrates the declaration of independence from France in 1944. National Unity Day: Nepal This celebration pays homage to King Prithvinarayan Shah (1723-1775), founder of the present house of rulers of Nepal and creator of today’s unified Nepal.January 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day: United States National observance of Dr. King’s birthday. Revolution Day: Tunisia Also known as Remembrance Day, this commemorates the nationalist move-ments that led to Tunisia’s gaining independence from France in 1956 and the abolishment of the monarchy in 1957. January 26 – Australia Day: Australia In order to relieve the pressures of crowding in British prisons, the British government established a penal colony in Australia. The first prisoners arrived on this date in 1788. This has been celebrated as Foundation Day or Anniversary Day, and now as Australia Day, since 1817. The trend in Australia is to celebrate this day on the actual day of its occurrence rather than on the nearest Monday to that day. The exact day of celebration, however, is determined by each state or division within Australia rather than by the federal government and may vary from one part of Australia to another. Juan Pablo Duarte’s Birthday: Dominican Republic This holiday marks the birthday of one of the founders of the republic. Republic Day: India This commemorates two events: the declaration in 1929 by the Indian National Congress to work toward independence from Great Britain and the day in 1950 when India became an independent republic. January 29 – Martyrs’ Day Nepal This public holiday commemorates the deaths in 1942 of four Nep-alese martyrs who spoke out against the ruling Rana family. King Abdullah’s Birthday: Jordan This day celebrates the birthday of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein (born 1962), the current King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

2011 January Diversity Calendar Dates

diversity calendarJanuary 2012

diversity calendarJanuary 2012

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